Microsoft has teamed up with Simon & Schuster and Random House to offer electronic books online using Microsoft's ClearType technology that supports Windows devices including PocketPCs. The first release is Michael Crichton's "Timeline", and near future releases include Star Trek books. Downloads are available from Barnes & Noble.com.

Time Warner Trade Publishing has created two new sites: iPublish.com and iWrite that will be focus on Internet accessible electronic publishing for consumers and writers. Supported formats of future offerings include: ClearType, eBook, SoftBook, and NetLibrary (Palm OS).

OfficeDomain is now offering free wireless services that will consolidate voice mail, email, and faxes via WAP technology. [SOURCE: PC World]

DDH Software Thesaurus v.1.1 for Palm OS ($15 shareware) adds a 50,000 word cross-referenced and indexed thesaurus and spell checker to Palm OS devices.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com) eFax: 978-246-3067